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The song 9 to 5 was written for the comedy film 9 to 5, starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Parton in her film debut. The song—and film—owe their titles to an organization founded in 1973 with the aim of bringing about better treatment for women in the workplace.[citation needed]

The song is also featured in a musical theater adaptation of the film, featuring a book by the film's original writer, Patricia Resnick, and 20 additional songs written by Dolly Parton. 9 to 5 began previews in Los Angeles on September 9, 2008, and played on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre from April until September 2009 before touring. In 2012, a UK theatre tour of "9 to 5" got underway.

A few months before Parton's song and the film, Scottish singer Sheena Easton released a single called "9 to 5" in the UK. When Easton's song was released in the U.S. the following year it was renamed "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" to avoid confusion. Easton's single reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart three months after Parton's song left that spot. While Parton's song features an empowered (if challenged) working woman, Easton's song features a passive, love-struck woman waiting around at home all day for her lover to return from work.

As early as 1995, a slightly remixed version of the song began appearing on Parton's hits compilations, sometimes faded to its original length and sometimes extended to 3:00. In this remixed version, some guitar is louder while background vocals are lower or missing in some places, and in the 3:00 version some of the horns as heard in the film version of the song can be heard towards the end of the track. The 3:00 version of the song is available on "The Essential Dolly Parton" and "Playlist: The Very Best of Dolly Parton" among others.

In 1981, Renée Martelcovered this song in French "De 9 à 5" on her album "Un coin de ciel El lute"

It is one of the few Billboard chart songs to feature the clacking of a typewriter. Parton has stated in a number of interviews that when she wrote the song, she devised the clacking typewriter rhythm by running her acrylic fingernails back and forth against one another.[5]

On the children's show, Sesame Street, Parton and this song were spoofed, respectively as Polly Darton, performed by veteran Muppeteer Fran Brill, and "Counting One to Five", about the time that Polly went to school, when her teacher asked her to count to five.[6]